Spring Has Arrived and More

Posted on March 22, 2010Posted by Jim Sher

On Saturday, March 20, the Sun entered Aries marking the beginning of the new Spring season. This along with the increasing speed of Mars, as it begins to accelerate in its direct motion, informs us that after a long time of review, we are now able to being to move forward again. This will be growing in strength for the next several months as Jupiter is also accelerating as it moves quickly through the sign of Pisces where it will conjunct Uranus in Aries. In fact, what is emerging now for us, is apt to become very important in the coming months.

The sign of Aries is cardinal fire and archetypally is the ultimate in the creation of new cycles and new beginnings. Also, it is where we must initiate, originate and self-motivate. The willingness to face new possibilities requires courage and faith. Without this, Aries cannot thrive. It will become weak and even depressed, for too much safety can diminish and even damage the Aries gifts. Although Aries is focused on oneself and can be unaware of others in its considerations, this is not a bad thing, for self-sufficiency is the Aries way. Aries learns its lessons from doing, not from thinking or analyzing. Can the Ram get itself in trouble this way? Of course, but a few cuts and bruises are signs of a life well-lived and even badges of courage. Wherever Aries is located in our natal chart is where the newly emerging freshness and vitality is taking place for us. It is where we must learn to be a warrior fighting for what matters to us at our deepest Soul level. And it is something we can feel, for it is our Spirit that is guiding us toward a distant future. When we are connected to the Wisdom in us, faith ceases to be blind, but is an unseen, yet real force that guides us as a beacon of light that can lead us safely to shore. Feel the excitement of Aries yet?

Health Care

With Mars turning direct, the so-called death of health care reform that had been forecast during the Mars retrograde cycle, has been resurrected and turned into reality. There are a lot of reasons being given for why this has occurred and certainly how the American public really feels about it is yet to be determined, but the astrology of it is most interesting.

What has been propelling the desire to reform the health care system is the very unusual transit of Jupiter and Uranus in Pisces alongside the fact that with Neptune in Aquarius, a mutual reception is created between these three planets. What mutual reception means is that two planets are in the signs ruled by the other. In this case, Neptune is in the sign ruled by Uranus while Uranus is in the sign ruled by Neptune. Further, Jupiter in the sign of Pisces rules Neptune as well. This means that the planets act as if they are together and powerfully strengthens this planetary pair. Neptune is the planet of compassion and the sense that all of us are connected and need to be willing to sacrifice self-concern in favor of a greater good. The mutual reception I just referred to has been in play for the last several years and so has the issue of health care.

At the same time, there is a significant opposition between the planet of change (Uranus) and the planet that often resists change (Saturn). The way Saturn can work is to bring up all sorts of fears about what change could or might mean. It wants to keep the comfort of the status quo and so when they oppose each other it brings about deadlock and stalemates until finally the side of change wins, at least for the moment. Saturn basically says that what has worked so far, will continue to work long into the future. We see this operating in the health care issue as the passions on both sides have been and still are extremely high. It is my feeling that what brought this around finally was the Mars retrograde review process and the realization by the Democrats and Obama that they had to do something to show real results. The election of a Republican to the Massachusetts Senate, a very liberal state, was one catalyst as they saw that even their own base was unhappy with their not taking action. Another factor was, I believe, the unintended consequences of the decision by Anthem (one of the largest health care insurance companies in the U.S.) to raise the rates of its customers by 39% in California and other Western states. This action seems to have catalyzed many people while also convincing many undecided politicians that reform was necessary. When the enormous increase was announced under a Mars retrograde, I suspected an outcome like the one that has occurred. Mars retrograde is a terrible time to make this kind of announcement because unintended consequences and reversals are quite common at this time. I suppose that for those who favor reform, however, this unlucky decision on the part of WellPoint is turning out to be quite helpful. Life is often odd like that, it seems. Neptune rules the process of letting go or sacrifice of ego and personal needs in favor of something higher. It is the planet of mysticism. With it being so strong right now, many are seeing a need to cease the ignoring of those of us who cannot help themselves.

However, and this is a big however, the Saturn opposition to Uranus and the upcoming square to Pluto is creating an enormous crisis in this country. The capitalistic system itself is seen by some as being in great jeopardy. The hostility about this is enormous. Not only is their significant growth in the tea party movement but the intensity of the hostility is extremely high. An incident that demonstrates this occurred last week at a tea party rally where men berated and vocally humiliated a man with Parkinson’s who was asking for charity. They threw money at him, told him to go to the other side of town where people gave handouts and so on. The tape of this went like wildfire through the internet, demonstrating how high the passions are right now. And. the wife of Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas, is involved in creating a tea party chapter herself. Sides are being drawn and intensifying while the truth is that the transit of Uranus square Pluto hasn’t fully begun yet.

Many of my readers hope for great progress in the coming years and though I wish that also, what I see for the U.S. is not consistent with those hopes. An example of what is coming is that already the governors of 14 states are planning to sue the U.S. government as soon as the Health Care Reform Bill is signed into law. The conflict between the two very different visions of what America is supposed to be, is growing and hostilities are increasing by the day. This is not likely to stop intensifying for the next several years.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this. If you would like to make a comment, I would encourage you to do so.

Jim brings over 35 years of experience as a therapist and transformational counselor to his practice of astrology, metaphysics, meditation and philosophy. He operates as a teacher and counselor and specializes in the use of discourse as a part of his teaching approach.

9 responses to “Spring Has Arrived and More”

Again, your right on target with the currents. I have been in a holding pattern in spite of many attempts to move forward on some critical papers for school, seems its been rather one crisis after another that has stepped into the path. Now, though, the works are coming together as though the holdup never existed opening a path through which the contents can formulate and get grounded.

Our heathcare system is run by big profits, it can’t continue the way it always has. I believe that the pharmacy companies are behind the protests, no one in their right mind can easily agree with the monthly premiums as they skyrocket and fewer and fewer families can keep up with co-pays and premiums. Making billions on keeping folks ill is front and center right now. The recent changes will bring even more of this sickness for profit to a head in similar fashion to the banking systems. You may be right that it won’t be pretty, but, it cannot remain the same either. The tea parties are I believe funded secretly by big-med. Obama is a catalyst and the sparks are emitting.

I appreciate your newsletters as they always give me insight into the hidden energies behind the scenes of constant changes.

Hey Jim: I would be curious to know where the planets were in 1861 at the start of the Civil War. And where the planets might be hitting similar mathematical points. I am from the south but live in New York and the way the tea parties are sounding off and the new coffee parties forming makes me wonder if the rift in America is similar to the one that led to secession. I hear talk of anarchy and secession in various forums and among some of my southern friends. Is it a possibility? I know the governor of Texas vowed to secede if the reform went through. Just thinkin’. Thanks for your newsletters. They are always very enlightening in the world view.

At the beginning of the Civil War, there was a transiting square between Saturn and Uranus. Today, we are in the midst of an oppostion between the two. Also, there was an aspect between Saturn and Pluto as we have now. That aspect was a trine. So, yes, there are indded important similarities.

To me, the Civil War was inevitable from the beginning of this nation. Once slavery was legally accepted, the rest that happened could not be avoided. From what we saw today in the news (3-22-2010), it seems, the war is not completely over for some people.

As a 35 year student of Astrology, I enjoy your Newsletter — I do think, however, you need to explain to your readers, who understand nothing about Astrology, in most cases, that there is a BIG difference between a Square of Saturn and Pluto –and the Trine when the Civil War Began — Square vs. Trine is a BIG difference. Right? True the aspecting planets are the same , but don’t signify the same meaning at all — squares – oppositions, and trines are vastly different predictors. I know you can’t get too technical, as respects the aspects, because the average reader wouldn’t understand it, however.

Thank you for writing. You’re right in that there is a difference between conjunctions, squares, trines and oppositions. You’re also right that most readers are not interested in a too detailed analysis of astrological details. So, I walk a fine line between the two sides of this coin.

However, I am intrigued by the point you’re making. I and the readers would love it if you would share your thoughts about how the Civil War demonstrated the nature of the trine as distinct from the square.

I appreciate your real and heartfelt analysis of the here and now as depicted in the heavens above. But, the emotions that are churning and burning as a result of … and further fueling … the social, economic and political environments are almost too much to get too involved on a day to day basis. It certainly provides grist for the mill of transformation and I am sad that more people are unwilling to take a walk into the wholeness of life. Over and over the story of the blind men and the elephant is apropos. Thanks for your article!

Aside from the Health Care reform and the Civil War, I have found the movement of the Sun going into Aries and Mars going direct is finally allowing me to move forward in my practice and in some sense with my life.

With Mars going direct and the Sun in Aries I was able to:

1. get a computer fixed very quickly that I had been unable to use for 8 months.
2. Take one of my other computer was taken for repair since I now had the appropriate parts which I had not been able to use for the last 6 month.
3. I was finally able to figure out how to use a new software with my clients that I use to assess their brains.
4. I was able to start using a new energy technology going which I had not been using for years for balancing health
5. I saw a new lecture space and am now actively planning to give a first lecture in Brasil.

So I would say all and all the ball is moving and I feel an sense of excitement about what the future holds. There really is a building of energy now.

I really like this article. It shows a little bit about the complexity of the effects when several planets are interacting directly. For myself, I’ve noticed things changing pretty dramatically with Mars going direct. I spent the winter in deep contemplation about my spiritual life and what it had to do with my financial crisis (I’d been looking for working for 1 year & 9 months, and had been on 20 interviews in the last year alone). It was fruitful contemplation, and after the crisis reached it’s zenith, I got a job, one I wouldn’t have considered without the crisis. (I haven’t begun working yet, I’ve just finished training). So things have been picking up speed with regards to getting my life back together and it feels good to be unstuck again and moving forward.

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